Stock feed box for paper machines



Spt. 5, 1939. E. E. BERRY STOCK FEED BOX FOR PAPER MACHINES Filed Jan. 15, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y E U ZZ/AZjef/y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 15, 1937 Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Earl E. Berry, Belolt, Wis., asslgnor to Beloit Iron Works, Beloit, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 15, 1937, Serial No. 120,733

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a feed box structure for paper making machines which is adapted to be varied in size and capacity to compensate for different types of stock and variable feed demands of the machine when operated at different speeds.

More specifically this invention relates to a stock feed box for a vacuum forming paper making machine wherein an endless forming wire passes around a suction drum with a pond of stock flowing in the direction of travel of the wire.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application entitled Vacuum forming paper making machine, filed September 9, 1935, Serial No. 39,679.

In my copending parent application, Serial No. 39,679, there is disclosed and claimed a vacuum forming paper making machine in which an endless looped wire is trained around a suction drum and a pond of stock is flowed upwardly in an arcuate path against the forming wire as the latter travels around the suction drum. The present application is concerned primarily with the stock feed box which supplies the upwardly flowing pond of stock to the forming wire. This feed box is adjustable in size to compensate for different consistencies of stock which may be used in the machine and to also vary the capacity of the box so that a greater volume of stock may be fed to the wire when the machine is operated at higher speeds. An adjustment of the size of the feed box can also adjust the width of the flowing pond of stock formed adjacent to the traveling forming wire.

It is then an object of this invention to provide a stock feed box that can be varied in size to accommodate different types of stock to be fed from the feed box to a paper making machine and also to increase the capacity of the box for increased stock demand by the machine when operated at high speeds.

Another object of this invention is to provide, in a paper making machine having an endless forming wire trained around a suction drum, a variable sized feed box adapted to supply a pond of stock flowing upwardly against the forming wire for deposit thereon.

A further object of this invention is to provide a feed box for a vacuum type paper making machine which will supply stock to the forming wire of the machine in a constantly flowing pond, the fibers of which arein a hodge-podge arrangement.

A further object of this invention is to provide a stock feed box for a vacuum forming paper making machine such as is disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 39,679, that is adjustable in size and in capacity and when ad justed automatically varies the size of the pond of stock flowing adjacent to the forming wire of the machine.

Other and further objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheets of drawings which disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through the stock feed box of this invention and showing the stock feed end of a paper machine in which the feed box is used.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figure 1 the reference numeral l0 designates a suction drum having a looped forming wire ll trained therearound. Stock from the feed box of this invention designated generally by the reference numeral I2 flows from the feed box upwardly along the forming wire II as the same passes around the suction drum H) in an arcuate pond P defined by the forming wire H and a somewhat flexible arcuate-shaped metal plate l3. The flowing pond of stock P has some of the fibers thereof deposited onto the forming wire H by suction within the drum I0 and the excess stock flows around over the plate l3 through passageways M which as shown in Figure 2 are on both ends of the plate. The stock from the passageways l4 flows through overflow pipes l5 and may be re-introduced into the feed' box in admixture with fresh stock through a pluralityof feed pipes l6 communicating with the bottom of the feed box I 2.

The distance of the upper end of the plate l3 from the forming wire H can be regulated by adjusting devices indicated generally at H to vary the size of the discharge opening from the pond P into the overflow M. A slice indicated generally at I8 is provided above the forming wire H to dam off the flow of stock and to guide the excess stock back through the overflow out lets l4.

As is more fully described in my copending application, Serial No. 39,679, the arcuate plate I 3 may carry fingers l9 disposed in the pond P for preventing the fibers flowing through the passageway defined by the plate l3 and the forming wire II from assuming the direction of flow of the stock. Rows of these fingers can be adjusted at any desired angle to the flow of stock by rotation of worm shafts in geared relation to shanks oflthe fingers.

The feed box I2 is defined by side walls 2| forming the supporting frame for the feed end structure of the machine. Each side wall 2| carriesIon its inner face thereof a track-. 22 on which is slidably mounted an angle member 23 having a horizontal leg 24 extending rearwardly from the arcuate plate I: and disposed over the track 22 and a vertical leg 25 disposed under the arcuate plate 13. The plate I3 is pivoted to the angle member at 26 and is supported by the angle member.

A rear wall 21 is secured to the side walls 2| and fits under the horizontal leg 24 of the angle member 23.

The frame structure of the feed end of the machine is mounted on a base 28 and a plate 29 on the base 28 forms the bottom of the feed box l2. This plate 29 is provided with openings such as 30 so that the stock feed pipes It can communicate with the feed box l2.

As best shown in Figure 1, stock entering the feed box 12 from the feed pipes 16 passes around horizontal bailies 3| and 32 respectively formed on the rear wall 21 and a vertical bailie wall 33 mounted within the feed box in front of the stock feed openings 30 thereof. The stock then passes over the top of the vertical baille 33 which is spaced from the top'of the feed box and under the vertical leg 25 of the angle member 23 which leg is spaced from the bottom of the box I2. A perforated flow evener roll 34 is provided in the path of the stock below the vertical leg 25 to insure a quiet flow of stock into the pond P.

A wall 36 is mounted on the base plate 29 in fixed relation therewith and extends upwardly to close proximity with the forming wire. This wall 36 may carry a plurality of pegs 31 disposed in staggered relation to aid in preventing the stock fibers from assuming a direction parallel to the flow of the stock.

A shower pipe 38 may be disposed back of the wall 36 for directing a spray of water against the forming wire II as it enters into the pond P to wash the wire and to prevent leakage of stock from the pond.

The angle member 23 can be slid along the track 22, to vary the size of the feed box l2 and also, by carrying the arcuate shape plate l3 therewith to vary the width of the stock pond P, by turning bosses 40 threaded onto bolts 4| which are secured at one end thereof in bosses 42 formed on the rear wall 21 of the stock feed box. Supports 43 having bifurcated fingers or ears 44 are carried by the horizontal leg 24 of the angle member and receive the bolts 4| therethrough. The bosses 40 are mounted between the fingers 44 of the supports 43; In this manner a rotation of the bosses 40 against one or the other of the fingers 44 causes the angle member 23 to slide on the tracks 22 since the rear wall 21 is fixed and the bolts 4| are set in this rear wall. The flexibility of the metal forming the plate l3 permits the plate to be carried with the angle member 23 and thus the size of the pond P can be regulated with the regulation "of the angle member 23 without eifecting the overflow discharge at the top of the plate back ofthe slice l8.

In this manner the capacity;ofithestock feed f box l2 can be varied as desiredto compensate for stocks of different consistencies and at the same time the width of the flowing pond of stock P can be varied in accordance with the variationand capacity of the size of the feed box. Furthermore, when the speed of operation of the machine is increased, the size of the stock feed box can be increased to supply a larger volume of stock to the pond P, while the width of the pond will at the same time be decreased in order to maintain the increased rate of flow of stock in accordance with the increased speed of the forming wire.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A stock feedbox for a paper making machine having a movable forming surface which comprises a pair of side frame plates in spaced opposed relation, a base plate extending between said side plates, an angle plate between said side plates having a horizontal leg slidably supported on said side plates above the base plate and a vertical leg extending vertically downward between the side plates into spaced relation above the bottom plate,'means for sliding said angle member relative to the side plates and base plate toward and away from the forming surface, a back plate sealing the space between the side plates and extending from the base plate to the horizontal leg of the angle plate, and means for feeding paper stock into the receptacle defined by the base plate, the angle plate, the back plate and the side plates whereby said stock can flow under the vertical leg of the angle member and onto the forming surface.

2. A stock feed box for a paper making machine having a forming surface traveling in an arcuate path which comprises an arcuate-shaped fiexible plate adjacent the arcuate path of the forming surface for' defining one wall of a stock passageway, an angle member supporting said arcuate plate at the base of the plate, said angle member having a vertical leg extending downwardly from the arcuate plate and a horizontal leg extending rearwardly from said plate, spaced opposed side walls carrying said angle member in slidable relation therebetween, a base member in spaced relation beneath the vertical leg of the angle member, a rear wall member fixed to said side walls and extending from the base member to the horizontal leg of the angle member, means for feeding stock into the, chamber defined by the rear wall member, the side walls, the angle member and the base, and means for sliding said angle member toward and away from the arcuate path of the forming surface for varying the size of the chamber and the stock passageway.

3. A stock feed box for a paper making machine having a forming wire traveling in an arcuate path comprising a plate adjacent said arcuate path of the forming wire to define with the forming wire a stock passageway, an angle member connected to the bottom of said plate for supportingsaid plate, said angle member having a vertical leg extending downwardly from the plate and a horizontal leg extending rearwardly of the plateaway from the forming wire, spaced walls carrying the angle member in slidable relation, therebetween, a base member extending between theside walls, a rear wall between the side walls extending from the base member to the horizontal leg of the angle member, said rear wall,

sidewalls, angle member and base member defining a chamber, means for feeding paper stock to said chamber, and means for sliding the angle member relative to the base, side and rear walls to carry the plate therewith for varying the size of the chamber and the stock passageway.

4. A stock feed box for a paper making machine including a suction drum and a forming wire trained around said drum which comprises vertical side walls adjacent said suction drum, horizontal tracks on the inner faces of the side walls, a vertical rear wall extending between the side walls and fixedly secured thereto, a base plate under said rear wall and extending between the side walls, an angle member having a vertical leg forming the front end of said feed box and a horizontal leg forming the top of the feed box, said horizontal leg being supported on said tracks and extending over the, rear wall, and means for sliding said angle member toward and away from the suction drum to vary the size of the feed box.

5. In a paper making machine including a suction drum and an endless looped forming wire trained around the drum, a stock feed box for flowing stock upwardly in an arcuate path against th forming wire as the wire travels around the suction drum which comprises an arcuate plate adjacent one side of the suction drum and extending toward the top of the drum for defining with the forming wire an arcuate stock passageway, an angle member supporting the arcuate plate and connected to the base of the plate adjacent the intersection of the two legs of the member, said angle member having a vertical leg extending downwardly from the bottom of the arcuate plate and a horizontal leg extending rearwardly from the base of the arcuate plate away from the suction drum, a base member in spaced relation beneath the bottom of the vertical leg,

a front wall member disposed in front of the vertical leg and extending from the base member into close relation with the forming wire on the suction drum, a rear wall member extending from the base member up to the horizontal leg of the angle member, a baflle member extending from the base member between the rear wall member and the vertical leg, said baille terminating beneath the horizontal leg of the angle member, side wall members defining with the angle member, the rear wall member and the base member a stock chamber, means for introducing stock intothe chamber between the rear wall member and the baiiie member, and means for sliding the angle member between the side walls toward and away from the su'ction'drum for varying the size of the chamber whereby stock introduced into the chamber flows over the baiile, under the vertical leg of the angle member, and between said vertical leg and said front wall member into the arcuate passageway.

6. In a paper making machine having a movable forming surface, a stock feed box for supplying a pond of stock to said forming surface comprising sides, bottom, front and rear walls defining a receptacle for a pond of stock, an angle member having a horizontal leg extending above the rear wall between the side walls, tracks on said side walls slidably supporting the angle member, said angle member having a vertical leg extending downwardly between the front and rear walls and terminating above the bottom wall whereby said angle member acts as a top closure for a portion of the feed box and also as a baille between the front and rear walls of the feed box, and means for sliding the angle member toward and away from the rear wall to vary the capacity of the closed portion of the feed box.

7. A stock feed box for a paper making machine including a suction drum and a forming wire trained around the suction drum which comprises a base member, a front wall member extending from the base member into close relation with the forming wire on the suction drum, side walls secured to the front wall member, a rear wall between said side walls extending upwardly from the base, an angle member having a horizontal leg disposed over the rear wall and extending between the side walls to define a top for a stock chamber, said angle member having a vertical leg extending downwardly in spaced parallel relation to the front wall, an arcuate plate ex-.

tending upwardly from the angle member in spaced relation around'the suction drum for defining. a stock passageway, a baiile member between the vertical leg of the angle member and the rear wall, said baflle member extending from the base into spaced relation from the horizontal leg of the angle member, means for feeding stock through said base into the space between the rear wall and the baflle member whereby said stock will flow over the baflie member, under the vertical leg of the angle member and up between the space defined by the vertical leg of the angle EARL E. BERRY. 

